Situation in India continues to worsen as a new unfamiliar challenge is making its presence known. A rare infection called mucormycosis has been targeting thousands of recovered and recovering Covid-19 patients, forcing many states in India to declare a "Black Fungus" epidemic.
The cause of Black Fungus comes from mould found in moist warm areas, such as soil, plants, and compost. Some doctors believe that the spread of the "Black Fungus" results from the use of steroids to combat against the coronavirus. Although it does not spread from person to person, it can cause serious infections among people who have weak immune systems, based on the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It is the biggest threat particularly to people with diabetics, cancer, and HIV/AIDS.
The fungal disease normally affects lungs after a person inhales the fungal reproductive cells from the air, or skin through injury, cut, or burn. The disease then spreads to nose, eyes, and even brain. The infection may cause the loss of eyesight and a "gaping hole" in the face, according to Dr Hemant Thacker - consultant, physician and cardiometabolic specialist at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai. Some patients have managed to survive only by surgically removing an eye.
Doctors have informed the BBC that the rare infection occurs 12 to 18 days after Covid recovery. The fungal disease also provides a 50% morality rate for the affected patients. However, such figure can rise up to 94% if the patients are not taken care properly and timely, Dr VP Pandey, head of the hospital's medicine department, told the BBC.
With this rare infection, India has now battled two biggest challenges all at once while the "Black Fungus" situation has grown to be more challenging than Covid-19. There have been at least 90 deaths and over 2,000 infection cases reportedly found in India's state of Maharashtra and approximately 1,200 cases in Gujarat state. Other states have also reported cases between 800 and 900 cases.
Currently, the Indian government is using a drug named Amphotericin B to treat patients who are affected by the outbreak. However, demand for this medicine is running high while the amount of supply is facing a severe shortage. Some patients even require to undergo surgery to prevent the spread of the disease and save their lives.
Reference:
Aljazeera. (May 21, 2021). Covid: 'Black fungus adds to India's woes, 4,194 deaths reported. Aljazeera. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/5/22/covid-spreads-to-rural-india-as-deaths-again-rise-above-4000
Biswas, S. (2021). Black fungus: India reports nearly 9,000 cases of rare infection. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-57217246
DW. (n.d.). India: Deadly 'black fungus' surges among Covid-19 patients. DW. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/india-deadly-black-fungus-surges-among-covid-19-patients/a-57602150
Petersen, H. E. (May 21, 2021). 'Black Fungus' disease linked to Covid spreads across India. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/21/mucormycosis-black-fungus-disease-linked-covid-spreads-india
Yeung, J. & Sud, V. (May 22, 2021). They recovered from Covid, only to die of 'black fungus'. What we know about the disease sweeping India. CNN. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/21/india/black-fungus-mucormycosis-covid-explainer-intl-hnk/index.html
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